A Stroke Past Midnight
by Pensheep
Summary: Several months after the end of the series, memories come back to haunt.
1. Discovery

A Stroke Past Midnight

By Kaoru Wolf

Prologue 

The dim illumination from the moon reflected off of the dusty mirror, casting weak beams of light across the room and encouraging the spectral shadows to dance more viciously than ever. The room the mirror was located in was rather expansive and had probably once been very elegant, but had fallen into a state of complete dilapidation.   
  
The furniture was covered with white sheets and the windows and the glass surface of the mirror were cloudy and streaked with grime.   
  
The dusty bookshelves were covered with tiny glass figurines, all shaped into the mischievous forms of _kitsune_ who leered from the shadows.   
  
The room was normally pointedly avoided by its occasional inhabitants, as most guests complained of an eerie, ominous atmosphere that was capable of striking chills into one's very bones.  
  
The metal door handle jiggled slightly, and the door to the forgotten room silently slid inwards and the intruder slipped inside, closing the door behind them.   
  
It was a young girl, dressed in light sleeping robes and carrying a single lit candle, sending the shadows frantically flickering into obscure shapes. Her hair was disheveled and her _yukata_ was rumpled from sleep. She seemed to be only half awake, having been drawn to this mysterious room as if she had been summoned.   
  
The girl padded softly towards the mirror, situated on a low wooden table with strange engravings on its surface.   
  
She knelt in front of the mirror, placing the candle carefully on the wooden table and gazing deep into the glass. The reflection was oddly distorted, causing a shiver to run down her spine. There was a distant rumbling of thunder, hardly audible.  
  
Not one to be easily shaken, the girl reached out a hand to gently trace the engravings along the metal frame in a trance-like state. Somewhere, a clock struck one past midnight but she didn't register a sound.   
  
Her reflection flickered and then transformed altogether, the temperature of the room growing even colder. Her eyes widened in recognition, and she lifted a shaky hand to gently caress the image in the mirror. She shut her eyes tightly, tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. _Please…_  
  
There was a flash of light and a deafening roar, the lightening having struck nearby. The vibration could be felt through the wooden floor, and the candle was extinguished immediately. The mirror suddenly cracked, and a very similar flash of sapphire engulfed the room. The girl opened her mouth to scream but no sound escaped her as the world momentarily blanked out and she was engulfed in a searing blue light.  
  
A second later, the girl was left breathing heavily in near-darkness, clutching the wooden table for support. After a few moments, the pain slowly ebbed away but her forehead still radiated heat. Dread and confusion caused a heaviness to gather in the pit of her stomach, barely-suppressed memories threatening to surge forth as the last of the warmth began to fade.  
  
With a shaky breath, the young woman hurriedly pulled herself to her feet and turned to slip back out of the room when she suddenly halted, freezing in place. Her eyes widened, her breath catching in her throat and her chest constricting painfully.   
  
Just a few feet in front of her was a young man, clad in ancient Chinese garb, sprawled unconscious on the floor.   
  
He groaned and shifted slightly, forcing his eyes open. As his gaze met hers, his own eyes widened and he immediately sat up, disbelief shimmering in his amber-colored eyes.   
His pale lips parted and he whispered, his eyes never leaving hers.  
  
"Yui-sama…"

TBC…

AN:  Short but sweet.  I hope that some of you enjoyed it.  Expect the next chapter delayed, I've begun it but I'm having trouble with a particular scene.


	2. Chapter 2

_A Stroke Past Midnight- Chapter Two_

_-_

_-_

_-_

_- _

"Yui-sama…"

She continued to stare in disbelief as the young man quietly pulled himself to his feet and took in their surroundings, edging slightly closer to her. His eyes traveled over the hidden furniture and sparse decorations slowly and with interest, eventually coming to rest on the shattered glass shimmering in the moonlight. He silently padded over to the little table and carefully knelt down to examine the broken mirror, picking up one of the fragments in his bare hands and raising it to eye level for a closer look.

After a few moments, he finally dropped the shard back to the floor and raised his eyes to hers, the sound of glass colliding with wood emphasizing the silence between them. Confusion practically radiated from him as he looked at her expectantly.

Yui wrapped her arms hesitantly around herself, unsure of what to do. How did this even happen in the first place? The _Four Gods of Sky and Earth_ had been sealed off, hadn't it?

She had completed her duties as the Seiryuu no miko, so why had one of her seishi been summoned to her? One of very dead seishi. She bit her lip, averting her gaze from her guardian, instead choosing to study the wooden floorboards.

"Suboshi…" She began, her voice faltering. His eyes shifted so that they focused directly on her, causing her chest to constrict painfully once more. She cleared her throat and paused hesitantly, considering her next words. What were you supposed to say to someone who died for you? To someone who had never truly existed in the first place?

"…How?" She finally finished, bringing her eyes up to meet his solemn gaze.

He simply shook his head, his unruly locks partially obscuring his face. He was still wearing that orange and blue clothing, that same blue headband. Yui watched as he sighed, straightening to his full height. "So I'm back in your world?"

She nodded. "Yes. This is actually my aunt's house, but it's the first time I've ever visited here." Uncomfortable silence descended once more between the pair, the two avoiding each other's gaze. For several moments, all that could have been heard was the distant rumbling of the receding thunder storm and the rain continuing to pelt the roof top.

For a while, the two simply looked out of the window and watched the storm. Their features were tinted a suitable dark blue, the light from the moon becoming increasingly dimmer. Finally, Yui padded softly to the boy and took his arm. He glanced back at her, and she gave him an encouraging half-smile which did not quite make it to her eyes. "It's getting late." She told him as she began leading him out of the room. Their footsteps were hushed as they made their way down the long hallway.

She opened a wooden door for him, motioning for him to enter. "You can stay in this guest room." At his hesitant expression, she continued while faking a small smile for him. "It's alright. I'll be down the hallway from you if you need anything."

_TBC..._

_(AN: Okay, tiny chapter. I guess I'm just a slow writer ;...) _


End file.
